Gezicht op een ontvangstzaal in het hotel van Léon Somzée in Brussel, België before 1898

This photograph captures a reception room in Léon Somzée's Brussels hotel. The chandelier, a prominent feature, is more than mere illumination; it's a symbol of aspiration, a reaching towards the heavens, not unlike the spiritual yearnings depicted in Gothic cathedrals. Consider how the motif of light, whether from chandeliers or candles, recurs throughout art history. From medieval altarpieces to Baroque paintings, light embodies divinity and enlightenment. In this room, the chandelier’s intricate design also echoes the dense patterns on the walls and furniture, creating a space that envelops its inhabitants, fostering introspection and contemplation. This density, however, can also evoke a sense of psychological complexity. Are we drawn in or suffocated by this grandeur? Such tension between attraction and unease speaks to the powerful emotional undercurrents that images can carry across time. The chandelier has resurfaced across time, evolving from a symbol of spiritual enlightenment to one of social status and aesthetic refinement. The persistence and transformation of such symbols reveal the complex ways in which cultural memory shapes our understanding and experience of the world.